Winding machine



June 13 1944. Q G BECKMANI 2,351,472

7 WINDING MACHINE MYIMI June 13, 1944- G. s. BECKMAN WINDING MACHINE Filed July 20, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 In HHHHUW HHH June 13, 1944.

G. s. BECKMAN WINDING MACHINE Filed July 20, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet s Patented June 13, 1944 2,351,472 WINDING MACHINE Gustaf S. Beckman, Cranston, R. I., assignor to Universal Winding Company, Boston, Man, a corporation o! Massachusetts Application July 20, 1940, Serial No. 346,635

12 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic bobbinwinding machines of the type disclosed in an application for United States Letters Patent, SerialNo. 231,044, filed September 21, 1938, by

Charles D. Reynolds and Herman A. Moe, now

Patent No. 2,257,651 issued September 30, 1941, and particularly to means for automatically severing the length of yarn projecting from the first coils of winding on the bobbin.

One object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the type indicated, means actuated after the winding is initiated for automatically severing the loose end or tail of yarn projecting from the winding bobbin.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type indicated in which the yarn-severing means are automatically operated in cooperation with the bobbin-donning means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type indicated having automatic means for clamping the end of a strand of yarn to the bobbin, directing the strand across the head of the bobbin, winding the strand on the bobbin and thereafter operating the yam-severing means to cause it to sever the length of strand lying across the bobbin-head.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the type indicated, yam-severing means which are normally held inoperative by the bobbin-donning means and rendered operative'by the retraction of the donning means to sever the length of yarn projecting from the .bobbin.

Another object of the invention is to provide yarn-severing means which are simple in construction, positive in operation and which may be readily applied to winding machines of dif-.

ierent types.

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred embodiment of the yam-severing device, by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of certain elements of an automatic bobbin-winding machine showing the present yam-severing means applied to use thereon;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, illustrating the manner in which the yam-severing means are held inoperative at the start of the winding operation; I

Fig. 3 is a view position assumed similar to Fig.2 showing the by the parts of the machine wound onto the bobbin and illustrating the yarnsevering means as operative to sever the end of the strand projecting from the winding bobbin;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the yam-severing means showing the parts in the same relationship as illustrated in Fig. l; a

Fig. 5 is a partial plan view of the yam-severing means illustrating the manner in which the projecting end of the strand is severed close to the first-wound coils; and

Fig. 6 is a composite perspective view showing the buttor head-end of a bobbin in cross-sec tion to illustrate the manner in which the winding strand lies across a peripheral groove in the bobbin and also illustrating the upper end of the'yarn-severing member which is adapted tobe entered into a groove in the bobbin-head to sever the strand.

In winding fillingor weft-bobbins the end of the yarn or thread is usually secured in some manner to the winding spindle or to the end of the core or wooden bobbin on which the winding is to be performed and the strand then drawn across the head of the bobbin and distributed to form the wound mass. When the winding is completed and the wound bobbin doffed from the spindle, the end of yarn which was originally fastened to the spindle or to the end of the core is released therefrom to extend in a relatively long loose length or tail." These loose lengths of yarn are undesirable as they tend to snarl and become tangled with other lengths so that when the bobbins are employed as supplies for loomshuttles or in other textile apparatus the free delivery of the yarn therefrom is impeded.

It is the aim of the present invention to provide means incorporated in the winding machine for automatically severing the loose lengths or "tails" of yarn projecting from the end'of the bobbins to reduce the length of such tails to a minimum.

The present device comprises, in general, yamsevering means movably mounted adjacent the winding bobbin and adapted to be projected toward the latter to sever the end or tail of yarn projecting therefrom. Preferably, the core or after a predetermined length of yarn has been wooden bobbin on which the winding is performed is provided with a peripheral groove in its head into which the severing member is projected to adapt it to cut or fracture the yarn extending thereacross. The severing means is maintained inoperative until the yarn is drawn across the bobbin-head and several coils wound onto the core in starting the winding operation.

Referring to the drawings, the improved yarnuse in an automatic bobbin-winder of the type shown and described in the patent application referred to above. The elements of the machine with which the present invention cooperates are shown and described herein only briefly as directly related thereto. The winding machine comprises a main frame or housing 2 enclosing the driving mechanism and in which a winding spindle, indicated generally at 3, is rotatably Journaled. Mounted for rotation with the spindle 3 and arranged for axial sliding movement with respect thereto is an enlarged driving-head or recessed center 4 adapted to receive and support the head h of a core or wooden bobbin 1). The opposite or tip end of the bobbin b is supported in the recessed head 5 of a stub-spindle 6 Journaled in an outboard bearing 1, see Fig. 1, supported from a bracket 8 shown in Fig. 2 and illustrated more completely in the pending application referred to above. The spindle-head 4 is normally urged forwardly to maintain it in engagement with the head of the bobbin b by an enclosed spring, not shown herein, to drivingly grip the bobbin between the two heads-4 and 5. When the winding -is completed, means including an electromagnet,

not shown herein, are energized to retract the driving-head 4 toward the frame 2 whereby to release the wound bobbin and permit it to drop into a suitable receptacle.

Projecting forwardly from the frame 2 in parallel relation to the winding-spindle 3 is a reciprocating traverse-rod of usual construction. The

traverse-rod comprises two connected sections I0 and II with the outer screw-threaded extension II slidably mounted in a swiveled outboard bearing I2. Supported on the extension II of the traverse-rod is a thread-guide, indicated generally at I5, which carries a nut I6 engageable with screw-threads on the traverse-bar extension I I and adapted for rotation by means of a contact wheel IT. The wheel I1 engages with and is partially rotated by contact with the winding bobbin at each rearward reciprocation of the threadguide I5 to progressively feed the guide outwardly along the traverse-rod section I I during the winding operation, whereby to form the package by longitudinal extension with a filling or weft wind. A tailpiece I6 on the guide I5 engageable with a former-element I9 carried on the traverse-rod section I 0 acts to swing the inner end of the section II of the rod toward the core b to cause the contact wheel I! to make contact with the first layers of yarn wound on the bare bobbin. When the bobbin is fully wound, automatically operated means act to release the nut I6 from the screwthreads of the section I I and to slide the threadguide I5 along the rod to return it to initial p0si tion to start winding another bobbin.

A bunch-builder, indicated generally at 20 and described in detail in the pending application previously referred to, embodies a rock-shaft 2| projecting forwardly in overlying relation to the spindle 3. The shaft 2i carries a yam-engaging hook 22 which is swung downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 2 at the start of the winding operation to engage the yarn 3/ below the thread-guide I5 as it feeds to the core or bobbin b. The yam-engaging hook 22 thus restricts the traverse of the yarn during the first few reciprocations of the guide I 5 tocause the winding of a few turns of yarn on the bobbin or core b in the form of a bunch. The

yarn-engaging hook 22 is initially set in operative position by means actuated by the bobbinf donning mechanism to be described briefly hereinafter. An abutment 26 on the traverse-rod ll engages with a part 21 of the bunch-builder at each rearward stroke of the rod and after a predetermined number of reciprocations the yarnengaging hook 22 is released automatically and swung into the position illustrated in Fig. 3. In this manner the yarn is released so that the thread-guide Il may traverse it lengthwise of the core or bobbin b to build the package B indicated by dotand-dash lines in Fig. 1.

Supported from, the main frame 2 of the, machine is a magazine, indicated generally by the reference character 36, for containing a supply of empty bobbins or cores 2;. As shown in Fig. 1, the magazine 33 comprises an inner channel-shaped member 3| for supporting the heads h of the bobbins b and a similar outer member 32 in which the tips of the bobbins are held. The bobbins b held in stacked relationship in themagazine 36 are released one by one from the lower curved end thereof by means of a pivoted gate 34, the remaining bobbins being held back by a second gate or hold-back member 36, see Figs. 2 and 3. Upon this release from the magazine 30 the bobbins b roll down onto a cradle 36 comprising spaced fingers 31 and 36 carried by a frame 39 pivoted on extension or abutment 44 which is employed for V actuating the thread-severing device, to be described later. 7

The various elements of the magazine and bobbin-delivering means are actuated by mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and described in detail in the above-mentioned pending application. Suifice it to state herein that these elements are actuated by a vertically slidable rod 45 constituting the plunger-armature of an electromagnet 48. The electromagnet 46 is energized through suitable circuit-closing meansafter the wound bobbin B is dofi'ed from the winding spindle. The rod 45 is then drawn downwardly by the electromagnet and through means of a pinand-slot connection at 41 with a lever 46 it rocks the elements 34, 35 and 36 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 2.

The lowermost .bobbin 1) is thus permitted to roll out from the magazine and down the inclined fingers, which have been projected forwardly, into position to be gripped between the spindleheads or centers 4 and 5. Through suitable timing means the electromagnet 46 continues to maintain the fingers 31 and 38 in this position until the first few coils of yarn have been wound onto the bobbin b and the electromagnet is then de-energized. When the electromagnet 46 is deenergized a spring, not herein shown, acts to draw the rod 45 upwardly to return the donning elements to the position, shown in Fig. 3 in readiness to simply another bobbin or core b to the winding spindle.

The threador yarn-severing device is arranged adJacent the spindle-head 4 and may be suitably supported from any stationary part of the winding machine. As herein illustrated, an elbow-shaped plate or bracket 50 is fastened by means of screws 5I to th bracket 8, previously described as extending forwardly from the machine frame 2. The bracket 50 is provided with spaced ears 52 and 53 pierced with alinlng holes to form bearings for th horizontal portion 56 of a bent wire lever constituting the threador, yarn-severing member 55. One end or the wire of the member 55 is bent downwardlybeyond the 'bearing ear 5! to form a depending leg 51 and trated as provided with the usual metal rings 1' for locating it in the loom-shuttle and preferably a peripheral groove q is scored in the head into which the blade SI of the pivoted yarn-severing member 55 is adapted to enter to sever the yarn extending across the groove. The yarn-severing member 55 is normally yieldingly held in position with its blade 8i projected into the groove of the bobbin b by means of a helical spring 54 coiled around its horizontal portion 56, see Fig. 5. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the spring 54 has one end engaging the upwardly-extending arm 58 of the member 55 while its opposite end bears against the upper end of the bracket 50. Movement of the member 55 under-the action of the spring 54 is limited by the engagement 0! its leg 51 with an abutment or stop 65 on the bracket 50. The abutment 65 may take the form of an adjustable set-screw threaded through a hole in the bracket 50 and held in its position of adiustment'by means of a check-nut 66 threaded onto the screw and set up against the outer face of the bracket. By turning the set-screw 65 the member 55 may be accurately adjusted to cause the forward end of its blade iii to enter the groove g in the bobbin b while being prevented from contact with the bottom of the groove. The essential parts of the winding machine and the present improved yarn-severing means having been described in detail the method of operation of the device is explained as follows:

With the machine in operation a bobbin 1) is held in winding position between the spindleheads 4 and 5 in the manner illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings. The bobbin b is rotated by content of its head it with the constantly rotating spindle-head 4 and the thread-guide i5 is reciprocated by the traverse-rod l0l|. The thread or yarn 11 leads downwardly from a supply arranged above, but not herein shown, and passes through the eye of the thread-guide 15 to be distributed on the bobbin 17. During the reciprocation of the thread-guide i5 its contact-' wheel I! engages the periphery of the yarn mass being wound to intermittently turn the nut IS on the screw-threaded traverse-rod extension ll whereby to advance the guide longitudinally of the bobbin core to build the bobbin B. During the winding of the bobbin B the blade iii of the thread-severing member 55 is positioned in the groove g in the head it of the bobbin or core b and since it is withheld from contact therewith by the limiting screw 65 it will not interfere with the rotation of the bobbin.

When the thread-guide has been advanced outwardly to the required position to com lete position and the thread or yarn 1! leading from 76 the guide to the dotted bobbin is carried across the face of the driving head 4. With the thread 1/ held in this position the timing device acts to close the electrical circuit to the electromagnet 45. Energization of the electromagnet 46serves to draw the armature-rod downwardly and through the pin-and-slot connection 41 with the lever 45 the cradle is swung from the position shown'in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 2 and the gate 34 raised to release the lowermost bobbincore I) from the magazine 30 to permit it to roll out on the cradle into alinement with the spindie-heads 4 and 5. 7

During the movement of the cradle 36 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that illustrated in Fig. 2 the arm or abutment 44 on its lefthand finger 31 engages with the upwardly-extending arm 5| of the yarn-severing member 55 to rock the latter in the bearings 52 and 53 against the action of its spring 64 in the manner indicated in Fig. 2. The yarn-severing blade 6| of the member 55 is thus swung rearwardly to carry its blade 6| out of the way so that a fresh core b may be placed in winding position without interference therefrom.

Simultaneously with the operation of the bobbin-positioning means an arm 24, see Fig. 2, of the magazine-actuating lever 48 acts against a lever 25, see Fig. 1, of the bunch-building mechanism 20 to reset the latter by rocking its yarnengaging book 22 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 2. The hook 22 engages the yarn 1 leading from the thread-guide I5 across the face of the spindle-head 4. In the meantime the spindle-head 4 is released to cause it to be projected forwardly to grip the bobbin or core b between the two heads 4 and 5, thereby clamping the yarn or thread y between the head h of the bobbin or core b and the end of the head 4. As the bobbin starts to rotate the length of yarn' extending downwardly from the rotating head 4 to the previously dolled bobbin is severed by suitable means such as.

shown in Figs. .4 and 6 and described as follows:

0 Located below the bobbin b is a knife K arranged for cooperation with a pair of parallel spacedapart blades L. When the wound bobbin B is doiled from the machine by releasing it from the spindle-heads 4 and 5 it will drop by gravity tocause the thread or yarn y trailing therefrom to be drawn into place between the cutting edge of the knife K and the ends of the blades L. Then, after the fresh core or bobbin b has been donned in winding position with the strand of yarn y clamped between the spindlehead 4 and the end of the bobbin, relative movement takes place between the knife K and blades L to cause the strand to be carried against the sharpened edge of the knife to sever or part the yarn leading between the point of'pinching and the last-wound portion of the yarn mass on the dofi'ed bobbin. This construction and arrangement of elements is well known in the art as described in U. S. Patent No. 1,121,103 to Hopper and illustrated in Figs. 16 to 19 of said patent. Any suitable mechanism may be employedfor actuating the knife or scissors described above from a going element of the winding machine. The length of yarn clamped to the bobbin b and leading forwardly to the threadguide i5 extends across the head It and will be wound onto the bobbin, see Figs. 1, 4 and 6. The traverse of the yarn by the first reciprocations of the thread-guide i5 is restricted by the hook 22 of the bunch-builder so that the first few turns of yarn are deposited upon the core I) with a relatively short traverse which builds up to form a bunch 2..

After the first-few turns of yarn have been wound onto the bobbin-core b, the timing device acts to deenergize the electromagnet 46 and the cradle 38 isiswung back to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. the cradle 36 is thus restored to first position its arm or extension 44 is carried away from the arm 58 of the yarnsevering device 55 andthe latter is swung forwardly under the action of its spring 64 to position the blade I in the groove g of the bobbin b. As the blade 6| enters the groove 9 it engages with and fractures or severs the taut length of yarn 1/ extending thereacross and revolving with the bobbin. In this manner the end of yarn extending from the first wound coils on the bobbin B is severed relatively close thereto to avoid a long end or tail. The blade SI of the member 55 may be ground sharply to cut the yarn or it may be constructed with a relatively blunt yarn-engagin end adapted to rupture the yarn.

In the winding machine herein described a bunch-builder is employed for winding a reserve length of yarn or bunch on the bobbin as necessary on bobbins supplied to the shuttles of automatic bobbins-changing looms. It will be understood, however, that the present yarn-severing means will operate with equal efliciency on winding machines without bunch-builders. That is to say, it is necessary in most cases to secure the yarn to the end of the bobbin before starting the winding and the present yarn-severing means will operate successfully on various types of machines'afterthe first turns of yarn are wound onto the bobbin.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the present invention provides a simple yet efficient means for severing the lengths of yarn projecting from the butt end of bobbins to eliminate undesirable loose ends or tails. By arranging the severing means near the juncture of the head and body portions of the wooden bobbin or core b the yarn is severed adjacent thereto and as a result the length of the loose .end or tail is reduced to a minimum. Preferably, theimproved yarn-severing means is arranged to cooperate with a peripheral groove in the headof the bobbin and theblade or-knife is thus prevented from contacting with and scoring, chafing or otherwise damaging the wooden bobbin.

While the yarn-severing means is herein shown as embodied in a preferred form of construction and applied to use on a particular type of machine, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. In an automatic winding machine, means for winding a strand of yarn or the like on a core to form a package, means for supplying empty cores to the winding means, means for severing the leading end of the strand being wound, said strand-severing means being actu-' ated to inoperative position by the means for supplying empty cores, and means for actuating the strand-severing means to operative position to sever the leading end of the strand when said strand-severing means is released by the means for supplying empty cores.

In an automatic winding machine, means for winding a. strand of yarn or the like on a core to form a package, a magazine for contain ing a supply of empty cores, means for trans-' I ferring the empty cores to the winding means,

means for severing the leading end of the strand being wound, means for normally maintaining the strand-severing means in operative position, and means operative by the core-transferring means to shift the stand-severing means out of operative position as each new core is transferred to the winding means and to release said strand-severing means after the winding opera-'- tion starts.

3. In a winding machine, means for winding a strand on a core to form a package, means for dofling a wound core, a magazine for containing empty cores, a movable cradle for transferring empty cores from the magazine to the winding means, means for severing'the leading end 'of the strand being wound on a core, and means for yieldingly maintaining said strand-severing means in operative position to sever the strand, said cradle being constructed and arranged to shift the strand-severing means out of operative position during the movement of the cradle to supply an empty core to the winding .means.

4. In a winding machine, means for winding a strand of yarn or the like on a core to form a package; means for attaching the end of the strand to the core to start the winding operation, means for severing the strand. between its point of attachment to the core and the winding on the core, means for normally maintaining said severing means in operative position to sever the strand, a magazine for containing empty cores, and means movable to transfer a core from the magazine to the winding means,

said transferring means being engageable with,

the severing means to displace it from operative position as the empty core is transferred to the winding means.

5. In an automatic winding machine, means for rotating a core to wind yarn thereon to form a package; means for attaching the end of a yarn strand to the end of the core to start the wind ing operation, means for dofllng a wound core, means for delivering an empty core to the rotating means after the dofling 01' a wound core, means for severing the strand between its point of attachment to the core and the winding on the latter, and means for yieldingly urging the strand-severing means into position to sever the strand, said strand-severing means being en gage'able by the core-supplying means to displace it from operative position as each empty core is supplied to the rotating means.

6. In a winding machine, a winding spindle for rotating a core to wind yarn thereon, means for traversing the yarn on the core to form a package, automatically-operated means for attaching the end of the yarnstrand between the spindle and the end of the core, means for severing the end of the yarn leading from its point of attachment to the winding on the core, means for normally urging the strand-severing means into operative position to sever the strand, and means for transferring an empty core from the magazine to connect it to the winding spindle,

said core-transferring means being operative todisplace the strand-severing means from operative position when an empty core is delivered to the winding spindle and to release the severing means after the first few coils of strand have been wound on the core.

'7. In a winding machine in combination with means for winding yarn on cores to form packages and means for dofiing wound cores and supplying empty cores to the winding means, means for severing the leading end of the strand being wound, and electromagnetic means for effecting the operation of said severing means to cause it to sever the end of the strand adjacent the first coils thereof wound on the core.

8. In a winding machine in combination with means for winding a strand on a core to form a package and means for dofllng the Wound cores and supplying .empty cores to the winding means,

means for severing the leading end of the strand leading to the core, and electromagnetic means for withholding the strand-severing means from operation. while the first i'ew coils are being wound on the core and thereafter releasing it to cause severance of the strand.

9. In a winding machine, means for winding a strand of yarn on a core to form a package, means for dofling a wound core from the winding means, means for supplying empty cores to the winding means, electromagnetically-operated means for actuating said core-supplying means, means for severing the leading end of the a magazine for containing empty cores, means for transferring an empty core to the winding means after the dofling operation, means for severing the leading end of the strand wound on the core, and electromagnetic means for operat-- lease said severing means to cause it to sever the strand.

11. In a winding machine, means for winding a strand of yarn on a core to form a package. means for dofling wound cores from the winding means, means for supplying empty cores to the winding means, means for attaching the strand to the core, means for severing the end of the strand leading from its point of attachment to the winding on the core, and electromagnetic means for controlling the operation of the strand-severing means to cause it to sever the strand after the first few coils have been wound on the core.

12. In a winding machine, means for winding 0 a strand of yarn on a core to form a package,

means for attaching the end of the strand to the core, means for severing the strand leading from its point of attachment to the winding on the core, and electromagnetic means for actuating the strand-severing means to cause it to sever the strand after the winding operation has started.

' GUSTAF S. BECKMAN. 

